Latch for gates



March 15, 1960 G. JOHNSON 2,928,688

`LATCH FOR GATES Filed May 29. 1959 INVENTOR.

GRADY JOHNSON l ATTORNEYS Sttes Patent f' 2,928,688 IC Y Patented Mar.15, 1960 This invention relates to a latch particularly adapted for usewith fence gates and the like. i

In the usual arrangement of a gate in fencing, the gate is hingedlymounted on one of two spaced guide posts, and a retaining or latchingdevice is provided between the gate and the other post for holding thegate in closed position. One well known type of such latching deviceincludes a spring member which is secured Vat one end, usually to thegate or its frame, and having an other or free end which is providedwith a generally U- shaped, or similar, guide extending in spacedrelation about the edge of the gate for limiting movement of the freeend of the `spring member to a direction toward and away from the edgeof the gate. The spring member is stressed so as to be biased normallyaway from the gate into a locking or retaining position, and in thisposition, when the gate is closed, the free end of the gate member isreceived within a notch in a retainer which 'is suitably mounted uponthe adjacent gate post. Obviously, under some circumstances it may bedesirable toY mount the retainer on the gate and the spring member o nthe post, or each on separate parts of a double gate, but in any eventtheY interaction of these parts is .the same, and when the retainer andspring member are alignedY the spring member extends into the notchwhich prevents sidewise movement thereof and thus retains the gateagainst opening movementrabout its hinges. i .Y

When fencing employing a gate and latching device of the vabovedescribed type is used, for example, toV enclose 4a yard where smallchildrenare at play, or for some other type ofY enclosurer in which itis desired 4tohavethe operation of the Vlatching device require morepositive action than mere bending or flexing of the spring member, theusual procedure is to use a separate chain about the gate Vframe andfence post, or some other separate means for locking the gate in closedposition. The present invention lrelates to an improvement in suchlatching devices as above described, wherein the spring member isengaged in its retaining position in such a manner that deliberatepositive action is necessary to disengage the spring member from theretainer notch. Furthermore, in combination with this improved `latchingdevice, provision .isV made for` reception of a padlock o r similar lockin the latching device which will lock the device in its engagedposition to prevent unauthorized entry through the ga@ f Y Accordingly,the primary object of ,this invention is toV provide a latching devicefor gates and the like wherein the notched retainer member includes apivotally mounted latch having a slotted free end which is movablepartially across the retainer. Such that the slot may 'receive 0r engagewith an edge. 0f the latch Spring mem 'berto hold it withinthe retainernotch, and torequire twitilg vQf the spring member along its lengthaswell '21S a Withdraytngfmovement thereof Yfrom thnctch t0 .releasethc.spring member from the retainen Another object of the invention is toprovide VSuch.' an improved latching device wherein the latch andtheretainer are provided with cooperating apertures which are aligned whenthe slotted end .of the latch is aligned with apparent from thefollowing description, the accompanying drawings and the appendedclaims.

In the drawings--v n 'Y Fig. 1 is a view of a typical sectionof fencingand gate in which latching devices of Vthe character provided by theinvention are incorporated;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view Vthrough the gate frame showing in plan thespring member and its guide mounted onv the frame; n

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig;vv 2 showing a retainer and latchmounted on the fence post;

Fig. 4 is a detail view, on a substantially enlarged scale, of thelatching device provided by the invention; Fig. 5 is a sectional viewtaken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

and Y Fig. 6 is a sectional View similar to Fig. V5, showing the springmember partially engaged with its retainer.

Referring to the drawing, which illustrates a'preferred embodiment ofthe invention, Fig. l shows a typical application of the invention inwhich chain link fabric extends from opposite sidesof stationaryfenceposts lltiand Y A gate is provided between theseY ,posts including asuitable frame 15 having fencing fabric 12 to form a fence.

stretched therewithin and mountedas by hingesk 16, to swing about thepost 10 relative to post 12. The gate and post 12 are provided withalatching device indicated by the general reference numeral 20 in Fig. l,and inlcluding cooperating parts on the gate frame and the Vpost whichmay engage, for example in the closed position of the gate, to retainthe gate in adesired position.

Referring to Figs. 2, 3 and 4, the latchingv device includes a springmember 22 which is secured aty its lower end 23 to thegate frame 15 by asuitable fastener24, which may be for example a rivet, a self-tappingscrew, or the like. As will be noted from` the drawings, spring member22 is of substantially greater width than thick-A ness and extends awayfrom the frame 15 and the secured lower end 23 such that the free upperend 25 of the spring member may be moved relative to the gatefrarme. Theupper end 25 carries a generally U-shaped guide member 27 which issecured to the spring member in any suitable manner, and which extendsaround the gate frameV lthe post 12, is a retainer 30 which ts aroundthe post andis secured thereto bya half-round bracket`31 and suitablefasteners'SZ at opposite ends thereof. The Ic tainer 36. includes aygenerally rectangular notch 35 adapted for alignment/lwiththe free-end25 ofspring member 22, and of vs11ir`1cient. fwidth to receive`the-spring member. In normal position, --with the gate closed, thespring membergZZ- extends into notch 35 and is free to move out .of-thenotch only toward its open end, being retained against any substantiallysidewise movement, and thus retaining the gate in its closed position.However, as will be apparent from the drawings, it is a relativelysimple matter to disengage this ordinary notch and s pring relationship.Q v I In accordance with the invention the retainer carries a latch 40in the `form of a curved arm pivotally mounted by a pin 42 on theretainer, to one side of the notch 35, and having a free end which mayextend partially across the retainer notch. This free end of the latchis provided with a slot45 adapted to engage about an edge of the springmember 22 when the latter is within notch 35, as shown particularly inFig. 5. Latch 40 Vand retainer 30 preferably include cooperatingapertures 47 and 48, re spectively, through which a suitable lockingdevice, for example a padlock (not shown) may be inserted to lock thespring member within notch 35. The mounting pin 42 also .receives aretarding device in theQformA of a Belleville spring 50 which acts tobindagainst pivoting movement of the latch 40, and thus prevents its`being swung open beyond a position where it will re-engage with springmember 22.. Y

Assuming the partsto. be inthe position shownV in Fig. 5, with the gateclosed, it is impossible to withdraw member 2,2 from notch 35, againstits normal bias, with a straightforward withdrawing movement, forvexample to the left as shown in Fig. 5, since the slottedend of thelatch 40 is engaged around the free end 25 of theispring member and dueto its pivotal mounting the latch member will cause the parts to bindagainst such withdrawing movement. However, if the spring member 422, orat least a substantial portion of free end 25 thereof, is

twisted along its length, as by applying opposite forces i to the armsof guide member 27, in the directions indicated by the arrows in Fig. 6,and the spring member is at the same time moved in the withdrawingdirection, it

to permit opening of the gate.

, In closing the gate, however, the spring .member is withdrawn normallyeither manually or by camming action with the curved outer edge ofretainer and the gate moved in closing direction until the free end 25of the spring member is aligned with notch 35. With the latch 40 movedoutwardly toward the open end of notch 35, the open end of slot 45 willbe in position to receive an edge of spring member 22, and when thespring member is free to move in its normally biased direction intonotch it will do so with latch 40 swinging normally inward and theslotted free end thereof passing about the edge of the springmemberwithout interference with the closing action. This follows from the factthat the latch is now pivoting inwardly toward notch 35 while'the freeend 25 of the spring member is moving in the same direction, tending todecrease the binding action therebetween.` v

As an example of a device constructed in accordance with the invention,in a retainer member having a spring member 22 with the width thereof(engageable in notch 35) of approximately one inch, and the notchaccordingly yof somewhat greater width to leave, `for example, oneeighthinch clearance or slightly more,rthe pivotal latch member 40 has a slot45 of approximately one-half inch or slightly greater depth, and the`distance from the bottom of the slot to the pivot axis,v i.e., to thepin 42 is about one and one-quarter inches. Obviously, the apertures 47and 48 may be located wherever convenient.

The latch structure provided Aby the invention hasrbeen found mosteffective when the pivotal mounting Vofthe retamerearm or latch 40 islocated on that side Vof 'the' renclosuresurrounded by the fence,withthe gatebeing hinged to swing inwardly or away from the latch 40. Inarrangement the spring member is easily twisted as 1t 1s withdrawn to`enablev the spring member to be dis; engaged from the retainer. A On theother hand, it is con-A slderably more diicult for a person standing onthe other` .Y may be freed from the retainer notch and latch member sideof the gate to reach across or over the gate, and in the configurationshown the twisting of the spring metilber is much easier to accomplishfrom the side of the gate opposite that on which the latch 40 islocated. Obviously, however, the latch member provided by this inventionis effective even without this preferred arrangement, and may be locatedon the other side where the circumstances so require. V

Accordingly, thepresent invention provides a simple, easily constructedlatching device for gates or the like which is effective to retain thegate in a predetermined position without use of additional retainerssuch as chains or other parts separate from the actual latching con-`struction. The-4 device provided Aby this invention is especiallyeffective Where fencing is employed to enclose a space for animals or todefine a closed play area for small children, and the improved latchingdevice effectivelyprevents these children from opening the gate, al-

though it maybe simply and quickly opened by an adult who understandsthe operation of the latching construction.`

Furthermore, the latching device is easily adjusted for proper operationby Arotationfof retainer 30 on its post. In the event` that the latch.40 should not be required for regular'use, it maybe rotated inwardlyuntil it engages the post, leaving a freely open outer end of slot 35 inwhich the spring member22 may engage in the usual manner.

While the form of apparatus herein described, con- 'stitutes a preferredembodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the inventionis not limited to this precise form of apparatus, and that changes maybe made therein .without departing from the scope of the invention asdefined in the Aappended claims.y

What is claimed is:

1. In a` latch, device forgates having an elongated relatively llatAspring member` mounted`with a portion thereofv movable for releasableengagement in a retainer to hold the gatein a desired position', thecombination of a retainerhaving a notch formed therein of sufficientwidth to Vreceive said portion of the spring member and topreventsideways movement thereof, means on said retainer for'mountingthereof in predetermined position for Vselective reception of saidspring member in said notch,a latch pivotally mountedon said retainerand having a free end movable partially across said retainer notch, andsaid latch having a slot insaid free end thereof adapted. to engage`withfanedge of said spring member to hold it within said notchandrequiring a twisting of said spring'member along its-.length tofreeit from engagement with Vsaid notch and said slot for release of saidspring member from said retainer.`

2. In alatch device for gates having an elongated rela- V notch, saidlatchhaving a slot in said free end thereof adapted to engagewith anedge of said spring member` to hold -t within said notch andrequiring atwisting of said spring member` along its length to free it fromengagement' with said notch and said slot forrelease of said springmember from said retainer, 'and said latch and said retainer havingcooperating apertures therein adapted to be aligned in theengagedposition of said latch Vto receive a locking device and effective tolock latch in engaged relation with the spring member.

3. A latch for gates, 'comprising an `elongated spring i member adaptedfor mountingon the frame of a gate if New 5 with one end thereof free tomove with respect to the gate frame and normally biased to a lockingposition away from the frame, guide means on said free end of said'spring member extending in a direction to surround the gate frame inmounetd position, a retainer adapted for mounting in stationary positionon a gate post adjacent the gate frame and including a notch dimensionedto receive a portion of said free end of said spr-ing member in thenormal locking position thereof, a latch member pivotally mounted onsaid retainer to one side of 10 said notch therein and having an endextending at least partially across said notch, said latch member havinga slot in the end thereof over said retainer notch for engagement withone edge of said spring member in its normal position to require atwisting movement of said spring member during withdrawal thereof fromsaid retainer notch, and means resisting pivotal movement of said latchmember to hold it adjacent said slot n the *A A:i open non-latchingposition thereof. Y

`406,037 l\2,455-,772. Jackie Dec. 7, 1948 2,793,893' Black et a1.l pMay- 28, k1957 2,797,118 Yoder lune 25, 1957

